Phuketis a large island in
the Indian Ocean, is 867 kms. from Bangkok. It is the only
island having provincial status, and was a regional
headquarters as well, with a rich and colorful history.
Known as the Pearl of the Andaman, it derived much of its
former glory and its enormous wealth from tin production,
which in Phuket dates back over 500 year. Today, Phuket is
the major tourist attraction of Thailand with hotels
of all price ranges.

The surrounding
waters contain much varied marine life, and the town
is notable for its Sino-Portuguese architecture. It is a
very attractive island for sightseeing, with lovely
seashores and forested hillsides. Its population of 1.6
million people ranks sixth among all provinces.
Approximately 1.75 million Rai of the area is forest land.
The main occupation here is rice farming. The average per
capita income is 14,343 Baht.